Manufacture of cartridge links



April 2, 1945.. A. E. BORTON MANUFACTURE OF CARTRIDGE LINKS 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV; 14, 1941 mm Cm mm m w A April 2, 1946. A. ,E.BORTON MANUFACTURE OF CARTRIDGE LINKS Filed Nov. 14, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet2 .uL INVENTOR. Al n71: E! Burma, BY

I W a April 1946- A. E. BORTON MANUFACTURE OF CARTRIDGE LINKS 3Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed NOV. 14, 1941.

INVENTOR. Alwyn 1?. Barbara, BY

2 m kfiw Q SKEW Patented Apr. 2, 1946 2,397,832 MANUFACTURE OF CARTRIDGELINKS Alwyn E. Borton,

South Orange, N. J., assignor to Associated Patentees, Inc., Ampere, N.J a corporation of New Jersey Application November 14, 1941, Serial No.419,062

12 Claims.

The invention here disclosed relates to the manufacture of the links bywhich machine gun cartridges are connected together in belt formation.

These links are cut and formed from strip stock and a special object ofthe invention is to avoid, so far as possible, waste of the stock.

In accomplishment of this object, a special feature of the invention isthe utilization of the full width of the strip stock in manufacture ofthe links.

Other special objects are to attain high speed, low cost, continuousproduction and to fully protect the machinery required for suchmanufacture of the links.

Additional objects will appear as the specification proceeds.

The novel features of invention are hereinafter set forth and broadlyclaimed.

The drawings accompanying and forming part of the followingspecification illustrate a practical and preferred embodiment of theinvention, but it is realized that modifications and changes may be madeall within the true intent and broad scope of the invention and suchillustration is therefore to be taken primarily by way of disclosure.

Referring to such drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one of the links.

Fig, 2 is a top plan or end view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a broken side view of the strip stock illustrating successivestages in the piercing, shearing and forming operations. Fig. 3a is atop plan or edge view of the same,

Fig, 4 is a compound view illustrating successive bending operationsperformed on the severed blank at the upper level of the final station,parts appearing in section as on substantially the plane of line 4-4 ofFig. 10.

Fig. 5 is a similar horizontal sectional view on substantially the planeof line 5-5 of Fig. 10, illustrating the final forming operationperformed at the lower level.

Fig. 6 is a broken side view showing successive steps in the operationof sizing and flaring the lower ring or ferrule of the link.

Fig. 7 is a broken part plan and sectional view of the machine forperforming all the various operations required. Figs. 7a and 7b are faceviews of companion die elements at the first front slide.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged vertical section view as on substantially the line8--B of Fig. 7, showing in particular the mechanism for ejecting thesmall intervening pieces between adjoining at the stage designated as C.the stock detector and showing the position of the stripper above thestock.

Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic view of the parts for checking the feed of thestock and controlling operation of the machine accordingly.

As shown particularly in Figs. 1 and 2, the links consist each of asingle piece of sheet metal formed at one end with axially spacedconcentric rings or loops l5, it, of a size to receive a machine guncartridge and at the opposite end with a single ring or loop I I, toenter between the spaced loops of an adjoining link, thus to utilize thecartridges as hinge pins for connecting the links in a continuous web orchain.

' The ring I6, which receives the tapered bulletend of the cartridge isshown as narrower than the companion ring l5, which receives the firingend of the cartridge and is shown as contracted at I 8, to lesserdiameter to fit the bullet and as flared at I9, to receive thecontracted end portion of the cartridge shell.

The intermediate body portion 20, of the link is shown as embossed at2|, at the center on a curvature corresponding to and forming part ofthe internal outline of the intermediate hinge loop l1, this embossmentofisetting this loop slightly from the concentrically curved outline ofthe intermediate connecting wall 20, as indicated in Fig. 2.

Fig. 3 illustrates a strip 22, of the stock material from which thelinks are formed and shows at A, B, C, D, E and F, the successive stepsof piercing, shearing, trimming away the ends of adjoining blanks,preforming the intermediate body portions, severing and finally bendingthe rings, and the stations at which these operations are performed areindicated by the corresponding letters in Fig. 7.

In the present disclosure, all these operations are performedsubstantially simultaneously, or as parts of a single cycle on aso-called "Multislide machine (Borton Patent 1,883,513, October 18,1932).

Figs. '7, 8, 9, 10, ,11, show essential details of the machine asconstituted to carry out manufacture of the links, particularly the baseor bed 23, on which the tool carrying slides are mounted and the front,back and right-hand end shafts 24, 25, 26, carrying the cams foractuating the slides and other parts.

In this machine, the strip stock enters on-edge at the left in Fig. '7,and is advanced intermittently,'with a dwell sufficient for the toolopera-- offset 2!, and the shear. block 31, for the cutoff tool arebotncarried. by'slidefiii', actuated by cam and rocker from the'front camshaft...

The'stationary backiplat'es 39. and 4% carry'thev elements cooperativewith the front tools; Thus the plate tilhas dieopeningsfll'jfor thepiercing tools '27; a yielding sheartblockAZ, cooperative with theshearingtoolES; and'shearing edges at 43, cooperative with the shearingtool 31; and the plate lELcarriesthe convex die element 44, cooperativewith the preforming tool both" ends of'the short neck? piece G;left'at'that pointconnecting the end of 'thehinge loop 11, of one blankwith theintermediate body portion 20, of .the succeeding blank.

To clear out the small pieces ofiscrap' at M; 18, Fig; 3, between theend' of one'blankandthe'back or*body portion of'the precedingiblank,azspecial ejector is provided. in the; form of. two 59, 50, Fig; 8,having srnaller'end faces "than said scrap. pieces; said 1 plungersbeing" carried 1 by" a 1 back. slide 5!. and projecting forwardly'at theend of back plate 39; closely adjacent the shearing tools: 3!, 32-43.The slide-5.! isipivotally connected at 52, with a rockleverr'53,pivoted on the back of th'ebase at54, andcarryinga roll 55, riding; the1 canr 5% on the back shaft. 25. upper end ofthe lever 'is'rrockedforwardly by a spring El, acting on ailinki58y shackled to the lever at59, thus to yieldingly project'the'plungers' and" hold the'roll engaged:with the cam, theextent ofrprojectionbeing controlled by an adjusta' blestop screw'fifli ini the'upper'end of the'lever' engageable withthe backof the bed.

The:- cam 56 is shown as'circular' except for a short 'dip' El, atonepoint, to hold the plungers' 59, 58, retracted; uptotheinstantofscrapejec tion. These plungers however, can yield -toithe" pressure'ofthe'pi'e'ces of scrap 41; 48; as they are cut free'by theshearings'tools', but 'react'as the front shearingitools retreat; topress the. cut

pieces 'back .into theicavities; said plungers' then bein'gi'projectedafter the shearing'tools arein the" clear," by the'l'ever'roll 55,droppingl'in the" cam depression to'push'th'e scrap pieces forwardly to"a pointi'where they will drop' awayfrom' the stock.

Suitable guides may be" provided "1 or "accurately positioninganddirecting-thestrip and, since thefull' width. of the" stripis'utilized; the strip may be. guided? all the. way through-the: machineby the upper andil .l'ower.

direct engagement with edges of .thesame. Also for control purposes,

2'5, for.punching the initial.

the front cam shaft 3%, and the. knife 55, cooperative with-the block31, for'cutting' plungers The ' preforming tool 36,

the strip may be gripped at one or more points as by a spring pressedplunger or plungers, such as indicated at 62, 62, in the tool slide 35and back plate 39. The pad 63, at the sides of the on the second toolslide 38, may also apply a holding pressure to the stock.

The double edged cut-off knife or punch 45, may be. operated by aspecial cam. (not shown) from the back cam shaft. 25, to effectseverance of the first blank at station E, just after the preforming ofthe intermediate body portion of the adjoining blank, to which it isthen still attached the. front tools'start indenting and closing ringiportions' about 'the forming posts; the'upper at station D. To provideclearance for the offset formed in the stock by the preformingoperation, theishearing block 31, Figs. 4 and 7, is shown out back at-fii, to receive that part of the blank just to the rear of the shearingtool Q5, Fig. 3.

At the final forming station F, the first blank while; still attached tothe strip, passes in front of the two bending posts 65, 56, Figs. 4 and9. As :the :cutter effectstseverance of. this :blank, the front bendingslide 5 and lower ring portions H5, H5, at the end of the curvilinearpreforming indicated at D, in Fig. 3,

bends such armsaround mandrel 66, and carries right portion Iii, carriesthe ring forming strapsv i5; i6. abouttheJouter side of mandrel 65.

On the completion' of'this first stage as shown at the'top'in Fig. 4,with the front tool slide fully in, the back tool H, comes in asshown inthe lower view of Fig. 4,.to bend the straps or arms l5, l6, l'i,inwardly into partially completed ring formation over the formingpiece72; Fig. 10,. at the back of post BEi-and-GB.

At the time when the .first 'blankiscut free and andxlower ring.portionsplli; l6, 'ofithe next blank; Figs'; 4 and 9, stand infront ofspaced fingers'li, i l, projectingzfrom'the' end of back plate 40, andso areisupported'xand held so that'they'can not follow the hinge loopportion IT, as that portion is picked up and bent'backwardly frombetween theuppervand lower ring portions i5; it, by the left bending.portion'of the front tool assembly.

Upon retraction of the back tool"! 1, Fig. .10, a stripper" 75; Figs;9'and 11, carried by'plunger l6, isactuated by lever E1, formed linkdown over the posts 65, 66, to' the lower level position'indicated inFigs. 5 and 6.

The back tool I I, has a lower; ring-closing tool face "58'; Fig. 10;which on the next inward stroke of 1 the" tool completes" the closingofthe three ring-forming portions l5, l5; l|', about the'posts 6tand'65Z Fig.5:

The' t'op view in' 6 shows this condition of' and: pressed :forwardlyby' spring 84, said holding advances and the inter.- mediateround';pointed:tool G8, striking the upper:

the.

to slip the partially within the post 66, and" which latter istubulartto' form a gllitiefll'ld'SllD? slide having a bevelled frontface 85, which will enable the lower partly formed ring to force saidslide back, so that it can snap out over the upper edge of the ring whenthe stripper has forced the piece downward fully into position betweenthe tools.

The lower view in Fig. 6, with Fig. 10, shows how after the rings arefully closed, the plunger 80, comes down to cause the flaring tool 86,forming part of the same to expand the upper edge portion of ring I5,over the correspondingly inclined upper edge portions 81, 88, of thering closing tools BI, 82.

To brace and center the flaring tool at the bottom, the lowercylindrical end portion of the tool may enter a forked socket 89,provided for the purpose, on a slide 89a, as indicated in Figs. 9 and10. g

The stem or plunger portion 80, of the flaring tool is indicated in Fig.9, as pivotally connected at the upper end at 90, with a lever 9 I,pivoted to rock on a center 92. This lever and the lever 11, foractuating the stripper are shown in Fig. 7, as pivotally mounted on theopposite sides of the head structure 93, and operated from cams 94, 95,on the right end cam shaft 26.

The small pieces of scrap which are struck out of the strip are disposedof to prevent any possible jamming or injury to the machine. This firstlittle Wedge-shaped pieces struck out at 28, the small pieces at 47, 48,between adjoining blanks, pushed out by the ejector fingers 49, and thenarrow connecting link out out at 45, may all drop through suitabledischarge openings provided in the bed.

To protect the machine against possible injury should anything happen toprevent the stock reaching the final operating station, special meansare provided in the form of a detector finger 95, Fig. 12, engageable bythe front blank, before severance from the strip, to close a controlcircuit which maintains the machine in running condition. This detectorfinger is shown pivotally mounted at ill, and as operating a plunger 98,to close a switch indicated diagrammatically at 98, as forming part of acircuit Hill, for the electric brake mechanism at I GI, which isoperable to throw out the clutch and apply a brake to the flywheel I02,if this circuit is open at a time when the front end of'the stock shouldhave reached the final station.

To carry the load of this control circuit during the balance of thecycle, there is provided in the illustration, a branch circuit I03, inparallel with the detector circuit 99, Ill, and containing a normallyclosed switch I04, adapted to be opened by a lever I05, under operationof a cam Ilifi, on the front cam shaft 24, at the time when the stockshould have reached and be closing the circuit at the detector station.

In this way, the machine is maintained in operation so long as stock isbeing properly acted upon and reaching the final operation station andthe action is checked for each cycle by interrupting the normal runningcircuit and substituting the detector circuit at the time when the stockJOllld be present at the final station.

With these precautions, the machine may be operated continuously at highspeed. The full width of the strip is used so there is no need to trimaway one edge or the other and both edges of the stock can be utilizedfor guiding purposes. By using the full width of the strip, thepercentage cf scrap is kept very low. I

The preforming at H, stiffens the body portion LII of the blank andinitiates the points of reverse bending at I01, Fig. 3, for the ringforming elements I5, I6.

The flaring tool 86, operates in addition as a means for accuratelycentering the contracted ring I6, coaxially with the companion ring I5.Further, in the illustration, this flaring tool effects a sizing of thelink, definitely establishing a desired spacing between the upper andlower rings I5, I6, and actually, if desired, stretching the piecetransversely to increase the overall width above and beyond that of theoriginal strip. By means of this sizing, links of a desired width can beproduced from strip stock of less than that particular width, providingconsequent saving in material. I

In this sizing operation and particularly if there is any stretching orincreasing of the transverse dimension of the link, the right hand slide89a, serves as an anvil, as indicated in Fig. 10, to support the loweredge of the bottom loop l6, and determine final position of the sameafter it has been carried downward in the flaring operation away fromthe upper loop I5, clamped at the time between the closed front and reartools.

What is claimed is:

1. The method of manufacturing cartridge links from the full width ofstrip stock, which comprises piercing the intermediate portion of astrip to form therein two transversely spaced pierced portions, shearingthe stock inwardly from the extreme outer edges and longitudinally tosaid pierced portions to define adjoining blanks with an intermediatelongitudinally extending tongue of one blank between longitudinallyextending side tongues of the adjoining blank and constituting edgeportions of the strip, severing the end blank from the series of blanksin formation and bending the intermediate and side tongues of thesevered blank into ring formation.

2. The method of manufacturing cartridge links from the full width ofstrip stock, which comprises piercing the intermediate portion of astrip to form therein two transversely spaced pierced portions, shearingthe stock inwardly from the extreme outer edges and longitudinally tosaid pierced portions to define adjoining blanks with an intermediatelongitudinally extending tongue of .one blank between longitudinallyextending side tongues of the adjoining blank and constituting edgeportions of the strip, severing the end blank from the series of blanksin formation and bending the intermediate and side tongues of thesevered blank into ring formation and concentrically contracting andcoaxially flaring one side tongue of said blank in respect to the otherside tongue of the same.

3. The method of manufacturing cartridge links from the full width ofstrip stock, which comprises piercing the intermediate portion of astrip to form therein two transversely spaced pierced portions, shearingthe stock inwardly from the extreme outer edges and longitudinally tosaid pierced portions to define adjoining blanks with an intermediatelongitudinally extending tongue of one blank between longitudinallyextending side tongues of the adjoining blank and constituting edgeportions of the strip, severing the end blank from the series of blanksin formation and bending the intermediate and side tongues of thesevered blank into ring formation and prior to such severance of the endblank longitudinally embossing the same in arcuate formation in theintermediate portion of the blank connecting said; intermediate-trendside tongues; 3

4. The method of manufacturing cartridge links? from the ful-l' wfidth;ofistrip stoclgdwhich tosaidxpierced' portionsto define adjoining blankswith an intermediate; longitudinally extending tongue of oneblank;betweenlongitudinalhr extendingz'side tonguescof the:adjoining'blank and constituting edge portions of: the strip, severing the endblank from the; seriesiof. blanks'in formation and bendingthe-intermediate and side tongues of the severed blank intozring.formation; and in' said piercing: and shearing. operations-leaving theend of" theintermediate tongue of one: blank' connected -'.with theintermediate portion, between-the side tongues ofthe adjoining blank;

5; Th'e method of manufacturing cartridge links from the fullfwidth' ofstrip stock, which comprisesv piercingthe-intermediate portion of astrip to form therein two transversely spaced pierced portions, shearingthe stockinwardly from the extreme outer edges and longitudinally tosaid pierced portions to define adjoining blanks withv an intermediatelongitudinally extending tonguezcf one'blank between longitudinallyextending side tongues of the adjoining blank and constituting edgeportionsof the strip, severing the'end blank'from the seriesof blanks infor-- mation and bending the" intermediate and side tongues ofithesevered blank into ring formation and in said piercing and shearingoperations leavingtheendof'the intermediate tongue of one blankconnectedwith the intermediate portion, between the side tongues'of the adjoiningblank in the form .of a'narrow tongue and in the severside tongues ofthe severed blank'into ring formation, in two stages'partiallyat oneposition and then shifting the'blankand'completing the ring formb-endingat anotheriposition;

'7. The method of manufacturing cartridge links from the full'widthofistrip stock, which comprises'piercing the intermediateiportion of astrip to form thereint-Wo. transversely spaced pierced portions,.shearing the stock; inwardly.

from the extremeouter. edges and longitudinally to said pierced portionsto define; adjoiningblanks with an intermediate longitudinally ex-'tending tongue of one-blank between:longitudi nally extending sidetongues of the" adjoining blank and constituting edge'portions of thestrip;

severingthe end blank from the seriesof blanks in formation and bendingthe intermediate and, side tongues of'the severed blank .into. ring formation and in said shearing, operations, cutting material free betweenadjoining blanks; and l forcingzthat .materialiback ithrough..the;cutsand;

clear. of ith'eiStOCKfiflZplDCGSSl 8; The" method: of." .manufacturing':cartridge links from the. full f'widtn offstriptstock, which Tcomprises'piercing: the intermediatep'ortion of a' strip to form thereintwo transversely spaced pierced p'ortions; shearing" the stock inwardlyfrom-the extreme outer edges and longitudinally to saidpierced portionstoidefine adjoining blanks with an intermediate longitudinally extendingtongue: of one1blank -between longitudinally extending side tongues ofthe "adjoining blank and:

9. The 'method 'of manufacturing cartridge links from the full widthof-'' strip stock, which comprises piercing-theintermediate portion of astrip to form therein two transversely spaced pierced portions} shearingthe: stock inwardly from the outer edges'at points longitudinallyremoved from said piercing and 'longitudinally to said piercedportionsto define'portions of adjoining blanks with anintermediatelongitudinally extending tongue of" one blank'b'etween and free from'longitudinallyextendingside tongues of an adjoining blankconstituting-edge portions of the strip and connectedby-a back portionacross the full width of the strip; removing material between the backportion and intermediate tongue of one blank and'tlie'endsofthesidetongues of an adjoiningbl'ankto trim-saidside' tongues to predeterminedshape and relative-spacing across the strip, embossing the back' portionconnecting the sidetongues, severing the trimmed and embossed blank fromthe end of thestrip and bending the intermediate and side tongues of thesevered blank int'o ring formation;

10;The' method of' manufacturing cartridge links from the full widthof'strip stock, which comprises piercing theintermediate" portion of astrip to form therein twotransversely spaced pierced portions, shearingthe stock inwardly from the outer edges at pointslongitudinally, removed from said piercing and" longitudinally to said pierced portions todefine portions of adjoining blanks'with" an intermediate longitudinallyextending tongueof one blank between longitudinally extending sidetongues of an adjoining blank constituting edge portions of the stripand connected by aback portion across" the full width of the strip,removingmaterial'between the back,

portion and intermediate tongueof one blank and the ends of the sidetonguesof "an adjoining blank to trim said side tongues*topredeterminedshape and relative spacingacross} the strip, severing the trimmed'blankfrom the end of the strip and severed blankinto 'rin'g formation.

bending'the'intermediate and-side tongues of the 11; The' method of"Inanufacturing cartridge links from the full'width of 'stripstQCk Whichcomprises piercing the intermediate portion of a strip with a pairOfppeningsspaced transversely across the width of th'e strip,sh'earingthe'stock inwardly from the outer edgesflat pointslongitudinally removedfrom-said piercing and Ion gitudinallyto saidopeningsto 'define portions of adjoining blanks with an intermediatelongitudinally extendin tongue ofione blank'between longitudinallyextending-side tongues of an adjoining blank constituting edge portionsof the strip and connected by a back portion across the full width ofthe strip, removing material between the back portion and intermediatetongue of one blank and the ends of the side tongues of an adjoiningblank to trim said side tongues to predetermined shape and relativespacing across the strip; severing the trimmed blank from the end of thestrip by removing the material between said spaced openings and bendingthe intermediate and side tongues of the trimmed and severed blank intoring formation.

12. The method of manufacturing cartridge links or the like, whichcomprises cutting a strip of stock transversely and longitudinally intoportions of adjoining blanks having an intermediate longitudinallyextending tongue of one blank between longitudinally extending sidetongues of an adjoining blank, constituting edge portions of the stripand connected by a back portion across the full width of the strip,severing the end blank from a series of blanks in formation, coiling theintermediate and side tongues of the severed blank into ring formationand then concentrically flaring the ring shaped formation of one of saidside tongues of said blank in axial alignment with the ring formed bythe other side tongue of said blank.

ALWYN E. BORTON.

